Section 1 of 7
Paint
Finish decides whether a colour survives being lived with. These four cover what to put where, how to get the line between wall and ceiling straight, and why the preparation is most of the work.
Everything in paint
4 entries · effort, whether it can be undone, mess-
Paint that survives being wipedFinish matters more than colour in a house that is used. Flat paint on a hallway burnishes wherever a hand touches it; a harder sheen survives cleaning but shows every wall defect. Where each belongs, why the ceiling is the exception, and why the second coat is not optional.
- efforta weekend
- undonewith a repaint
- messhigh
-
Cutting inThe line between wall and ceiling is the whole job. A steady hand beats tape.
- effortan afternoon
- undonewith a repaint
- messmedium
-
What preparation actually isFilling, sanding, washing and dusting. The painting is the short part.
- efforttwo evenings
- undonefully
- messhigh
-
Colour in the room, not the shopA sample behaves differently on four walls under domestic light.
- effortan evening
- undonefully
- messnone